Sunday in Hawkville

The players are off today, before returning to their two-a-day training camp practice routine in the morning – at their new facility in Renton. So we dedicate this space to a recap of the Seahawks’ 29-26 victory over the Chicago Bears in their preseason open homer on Saturday night:

WORD OF THE DAY
Resilient. As in, that’s what the Seahawks were on a hot, muggy night at Qwest Field.

They took a 9-2 lead, only to throw it away in the third quarter, when the Bears returned an interception and a punt for touchdowns. But the Seahawks rallied for three fourth-quarter scores and then won the game overtime – only after Bears kicker Robbie Gould missed a 47-yard field goal attempt at the end of regulation and rookie Brandon Coutu kicked his fifth field goal of the game in overtime.

“Well,” coach Mike Holmgren said to began his post-game interview session, “there was a lot of football to evaluate (Sunday). I was pleased with a good portion of it, and some of it was pretty ugly.”

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Justin Forsett. The little back from Cal came up big, and then some. The seventh-round draft choice compiled 261 all-purpose yards.

He got the job done rushing, gaining 136 yards on 15 second half and overtime carries for a 9.1-yard average.

He’ll have to continue getting the job done if he’s going to convince the coaches he still should have a job after the current 80-man roster is trimmed to the final 53 on Aug. 30.

PLAYS OF THE DAY

Offense: Forsett broke a 37-yard run – not to mention three or four tackles – on the first play in overtime to get the Seahawks rolling toward Coutu’s game-winner.

Defense: Backup cornerback Kevin Hobbs used a nice read and an even better reaction to intercept a pass along the sideline at the Bears’ 26-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. It setup a go-ahead touchdown by – who else? – Forsett.

Special teams: Couto, who is battling for a roster spot with veteran Olindo Mare, kicked five field goals. But the biggest was his last – the 36-yarder to win the game.

REASONS FOR CONCERN

Special teams. In addition to the 75-yard punt return by the Bears’ Earl Bennett, the Seahawks also had two punts blocked and were penalized three times for holding on returns. Yes, it’s only the preseason. But, no, that many breakdowns are not acceptable regardless of the situation.

Charlie Frye. The team’s No. 3 quarterback got his big chance, starting and finishing the game. But he threw it away by throwing three interceptions.

John Carlson. The second-round draft got the start. But he also got flagged twice for false starts and had one of the holding penalties on special teams – the one that wiped out a 43-yard punt return by Forsett, which would have pushed the rookie past 300 all-purpose yards.

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

Forsett. For countless reasons.

Josh Wilson. Last year’s top draft choice had his best day (or night) as a Seahawk. The backup cornerback slapped away a third-down pass from Rex Grossman just as it was about to settle into the hands of Bennett. He also blitzed and pressured Grossman into an intentional grounding penalty.

Jordan Kent. The second-year wide receiver couldn’t come up with a couple of Frye throws in the end zone and at the goal line, as Bears defenders knocked or stripped the balls from his grasp. But Kent continued to show development as a receiver by making catches over the middle.

INJURY REPORT
Right tackle Sean Locklear sprained his right knee on the Seahawks’ first series and did not return. Additional tests scheduled for today will determine the severity of the injury and how long he might be sidelined, although Holmgren said he expects to have Locklear back for the Sept. 7 regular-season opener in Buffalo.

QUOTE UNQUOTE
“You just know somebody is going to end up going to Kirkland out of habit. I can’t wait to see who it is.” – Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones, on the switch tomorrow morning to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton after practicing in Kirkland since 1986.